Evolutionary developments in x-ray and electron energy loss microanalysis instrumentation for the analytical electron microscope

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6800610

Zaluzec, N J

Developments in instrumentation for both X-ray Dispersive and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (XEDS/EELS) over the last ten years have given the experimentalist a greatly enhanced set of analytical tools for characterization. Microanalysts have waited for nearly two decades now in the hope of getting a true analytical microscope and the development of 300--400 kV instruments should have allowed us to attain this goal. Unfortunately, this has not generally been the case. While there have been some major improvements in the techniques, there has also been some devolution in the modern AEM (Analytical Electron Microscope) In XEDS, the majority of today's instruments are still plagued by the hole count effect, which was first described in detail over a fifteen years ago. The magnitude of this problem can still reach the 20% level for medium atomic number species in a conventional off-the-shelf intermediate voltage AEM. This is an absurd situation and the manufacturers should be severely criticized. Part of the blame, however, also rests on the AEM community for not having come up with a universally agreed upon standard test procedure. Fortunately, such a test procedure is in the early stages of refinement. The proposed test specimen consists of an evaporated Cr film {approximately}500--1000 {angstrom} thick supported upon a 3mm diameter Molybdenum 200{mu}m aperture.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6800610
• Report Number(s): CONF-900877-6; ON: DE90017799
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440800* -- Miscellaneous Instrumentation-- (1990-)
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
CHROMIUM
ELECTRON MICROSCOPES
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY RESOLUTION
ENERGY-LOSS SPECTROSCOPY
FILMS
METALS
MICROANALYSIS
MICROSCOPES
MOLYBDENUM
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RESOLUTION
SPECTROSCOPY
TESTING
THIN FILMS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY